Shoes, Putting Off of

Shoes, Putting Off Of.

In the ancient Christian Church a few (for it was not a general custom) took off their shoes as they entered the church. Cassian (Institut. 1, 10) observes of the Egyptian monks that they always wore sandals instead of shoes, and took these off when they went to celebrate or receive the holy mysteries, thinking themselves obliged to do so from a literal interpretation of the command to Moses, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet," etc. Others observed the custom only among those people who considered it an indication of reverence, as it was in Eastern nations in the time of Moses and Joshua. See Bingham, Christ. Antiq. bk. 8, ch. 10, § 7. SEE SHOE.